Almost Lover
by moments of gold
Summary: An unexpected answer to a question he never thought he'd ask again.


**Note**: I haven't written in a long, long time. This kind of just came to me tonight (seriously, my muse picks the worst times to come, it's 2:02am as I write this now) and so I had to write it. I meant for it to be a drabble, but it more turned into a one-shot, just a moment of time. There's no continuation, so please don't ask. I don't read fanfiction that often, but there has not been a single one that I have seen that has ever gone down this route, and I felt like I wanted to write something like this. So, I hope you enjoy!

**Almost Lover**

"Do you love me?" His words rang through her ears, this was the exact question she never wanted to have to answer, but knew she eventually have to, especially now that he was free of Barbra Jean. He knew this was how to get her. She didn't lie, she wouldn't lie. Not about something like this.

She hesitated for a moment before she bit her lip and nodded. She didn't _want_ to lie, she wasn't scared of telling him the truth.

"Then be with me. Marry me, make me the happiest person alive," he pleaded enthusiastically as he took her hands and lowered himself onto one knee, staring into her eyes awaiting an answer.

Reba looked at him and she felt tears fill her eyes. Her heart wanted so badly to say yes, to be with him, and let him sweep her off her feet and melt her heart like no other man could. She was known for being strong and stubborn, and her brain battled with her heart on this.

"Are you aware of what you've done to me? I gave you the best years of my life, only for you to throw it all away for a young blonde ditz. I cried for months while you were off tending to your impregnated new wife. Do you really think I can take you back after that? And undo everything I've built back up the past six years? For what, for you to realize you don't want me anymore…again?" she said after a few silent moments had passed. She had spoken softly but her tone was stern.

"But Reba, I've changed, I'm not the same person. It took someone else for me to realize how much I love you, and how much I've always loved you. It wouldn't be the same this time, I promise."

"And how am I supposed to believe you this time? What have you done to prove to me that you're not going to do the same thing? Look what happened with Barbra Jean; you got bored of her and got rid of her. Who's to say you won't do that to me in a few years? A few years in which I let myself fall madly in love with you again only to have you tear my heart to shreds…again," she once again spoke softly, but this time Brock noticed a hint of coldness in her tone and was taken aback.

He stood up as he searched for an argument back. "But…I…but you love me!" he tried.

"I do, and I always will, very much so. I have no doubt in the world that I'll never find someone I love as much as you, which makes it all the more difficult. I'll compare every relationship to what I could've had with you, what I want with you. But the more I love you, the more likely I am to get hurt."

This type of thing wasn't Brock's best area of knowledge. The reason she couldn't be with him was because she loved him? That made no sense to him.

"Reba, can't we at least try? You never know what'll happen; you're making assumptions based on the past. I can promise you that I'll never cheat or be unfaithful. And you just said it, you love me, you'll never find anyone that you'll love as much as me. Why can't we make this work?"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I don't want to take that risk. I can't take that risk. Our kids are grown, they've gotten used to the divorce and they don't need married parents anymore. I have a life, now, Brock. I have moved on and, yes, I do still love you and I always will. But to me, the risk of getting hurt outweighs everything. I can't take you back after what you did, as much as my heart wants to."

Brock was dumbfounded. This wasn't exactly what he had in mind when he asked her to marry him. "So…this is it? We're done, for good?" he asked.

She nodded quietly. "I'm not saying we can't be friends and continue what we've been doing for the past six years, but we'll never be romantically involved again. I'm sorry." She pulled him into a tearful hug and buried her face in his neck. This was never what she expected things to come to, but she stood by her decision. As she pulled away, she tenderly kissed his cheek. She turned to go as she wiped a tear from her cheek.

Brock felt like he should've said something to her as she walked out, but he could do nothing more than watch her. Watch the woman he loved walk out forever. He could've killed himself for what he'd done to her. He had always assumed that she'd be back, that one day they'd eventually be Reba and Brock again, but he'd never imagined this.

Part of her wanted to turn around and say she didn't mean any of it, but another part of her willed her to keep walking, make it to the door and go through it. She did and didn't want to be back with him. She knew she was better off not being with him, but she did love him. He could ask her a thousand times and she'd never say no, and he could ask her when she was happily married to someone else, she still wouldn't say no. But it didn't matter, she would never change her mind and decide to take him back, it was better like this.

The door slamming behind Reba echoed through the silent house as Brock stood still, replaying the last few minutes as he stared at the door. On the other side of it, Reba stopped and wiped her eyes with her shirt, she had let more tears fall than she intended. She took a deep breath and started walking back to her house and back to her life.

_I never want to see you unhappy_

_I thought you'd want the same for me_

_Goodbye, my almost lover_

_Goodbye, my hopeless dream_

_I'm trying not to think about you_

_Can't you just let me be?_

_So long, my luckless romance_

_My back is turned on you_

_I should've known you'd bring me heartache_

_Almost lovers always do_


End file.
